*yawn*

It's been a day since I've been reincarnated into this world.

After aimlessly wandering around, I've reached some few conclusions, first of which is that this forest sure is HUGE!

Yesterday, I was finally able to find the edge of the forest, and thanks to that, I was able to finish mapping the whole forest by running around it.

Even though I was running around, I am still yet to encounter monsters nor animals, Is it really just trees around here?

Since I've got a lot of free time, I decided to think more about my stats and skills.

First of all, I was finally able to try using [Camouflage].

When I thought and said the skill, my whole body then started to become transparent; something that looked like a walking glass? It does seem to become helpful in the future though.

When I tried running while it's activated, there was nothing wrong up until when I landed after I leapt, the [Camouflage] wore off.

When I tried activating it again, a window popped up saying,

[20 seconds before being able to activate [Camouflage] again]

Yeaah, it would've been too good to be true if it doesn't have a cooldown.

Afterwards, I did some tests with skill. Apparently, the skill wears off whenever I was hit with a hard impact or something like that; usually when I land, bump, or hit stuff.

Since I've got nothing to do, I decided to stay in the Forest and practice freerunning (and treeclimbing?) while [Camouflage] is active. With this, I might be able to move around without being forced to deactivate the skill.

And after all that, It brings us now. I'm tired.

It actually feels like I get tired easily whenever I move with [Camouflage] active. Well, with the fact that I currently have zero mana, maybe the compensation for using skills is the stamina.

I actually saw some monsters when I was roaming around with [Camouflage]. The ones I saw were creatures that resembled a sheep, but with straight and pointed horns... three of it. Shall I call them Tricerasheep?

Anyways, I shall try to hunt some of them after I sleep in order to level up. I will try if I can raise up my Int stat, I might be able to gain MP, and finally learn some magic if I raise it high enough... that would be awesome!

But for now, I shall sleep!!!

...

..

.

"Find anything?"

Meanwhile, Rokvir's party is also deep inside the forest trying to find traces of the monster.

"Wha-- What's that?!"

As soon as one of the members stated that, everybody immediately looked at his direction.

"Thi-this is... Is it an egg?"

Rokvir went closer to inspect the object that looked like an egg.

"An egg this huge.. A Dragon? no... It doesn't look like it.."

"There are still traces of some kind of fluid on it.. It's probably still fresh... but this kind of egg.. I never knew this existed.."

"Chief! We should take some pieces of that so we could send it to some expert.."

"You're right. Take some, but not to the extent that it would be a burden to us."

(But this egg though... I never saw an egg encased by rocks.. even the rocks looks so unnatural. And according to Erica, this thing fell from the sky.. Just what the hell is this thing?)

While the other members of the party are gathering some specimen, Rokvir noticed some of what he think are tracks of the said monster.

"These footprints even feels unnatural.. A Dragonewt's? If so, we should be more careful... Everyone! I have found some tracks of the monster! Stay vigilant! It might be near! Always prepare for a fight!"

It went on for a few hours until the Subjugation Party finally discovered what they were looking for...

"-!!!! Shh!"

Suddenly, Rokvir ordered the party to a halt.

Just like what his daughter said, it looks like something that came straight out of a nightmare. Even though he could not discern its visage, he could at least know it is sleeping.

Cold sweat trickled down his cheek. At that time, he realized, what's in front of them was not ordinary.. a single mistake and he will most probably die.

Then in a low voice, he told everyone,

"Everybody keep quiet. This is not something we can handle easily. At the moment, the monster is sleeping. Even in its slumber, it still has this ferocious aura that sends chills down my spine.. Last time I felt this was when I was fighting a higher demon. But, even though this is dangerous, we shall not back down and subjugate this monster. Leaving this here might not only be a threat to the village, but to the whole country as well."

"But Chief... If what you've said was true, then this is something that only a party of your tier level can defeat. Do you think we can actually kill it?"

"As I've said, it is sleeping... Its guard is even lowered, and If that's the one that came out from that egg, then it's probably still a hatchling. If we all attack at once, we might be able to kill it before it wakes up."

Everybody then agreed to Rokvir's plan and started preparing..

Even though Rokvir's plan made sense, they still can't help but to worry.. Everytime they glance at the monster, the first thing that came to their mind was to run away..

Rokvir was hoping this would work. His party consists of 15 people. There are only 5 people who can use attack magic including himself, so he ordered everybody else to shoot arrows enhanced by reinforcing magic.

After everybody finished preparing to fire the arrows and chanted the spells, while whispering a silent prayer to their gods, Rokvir steeled his resolve and ordered the attack.

"Fire!"

"[Fireball]!"

"[Icicle Spear]!"

"[Wind Impact]!"

"[Fireball]!"

"[Earth Bullet]!"

*BOOM*

With a loud impact, various magic spells were released and hit the slumbering monster.

Though the arrows were ineffective, the magic seems to deal great damage since it blew off the monster a few meters from where it was sleeping..

"Is it over?"

But a few seconds after that, they already knew the answer just from the ear-piercing shriek originating from the monster...

"AAAAUUUUUUGGGHHhhh!!!!!!"

SHIT! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?! IT HURTS!!

While I'm trying to understand the current situation, massive pain is coming from my left arm.

It seems like I was hit by something and my arm is about to be torn off.

Shit! It really hurts like hell right now.

I stared at the figures that were hiding in the trees a few meters away from me.

Humans!

They are the ones who did this?! Tch! I was careless, the uneventful time I spent here gave me the impression that this place would be safe.

Just when I was about to think of what to do, The huge man that seems like their commander shouted,

"Attack!!"

A guy wielding a sword then ran towards me screaming as he attempts to slash me with his blade.

*Shhhhhkkkk*

*Ting!*

When I began to panic and tried to run, intense pain coming from a weird place on my body made me stop.

The guy with the sword was able to hit my tail. But what's more surprising was what happened to the guy with the sword.

The guy that used to stand there was immediately cut into half.

Blood was gushing out from its lifeless body, his torso that separated from his lower body looked like it was savagely ripped instead of a sword's clean cut.

It seems like the moment my tail got hit, the pain made my tail flick and sliced the unfortunate guy.

Even though I just killed a person, Instead of guilt, I felt satisfied for some reason.

When I looked over this dead person's companions at the back, I can now see their horrified faces.

Taking advantage of this, I activate my [Camouflage] and hurriedly climbed a nearby tree.

Even though I want to kill them, fighting head-on while injured is too reckless, I'd prefer to recover a bit before I kill them...

Wait... did I just say kill them? Well they did try to kill me.. They're the offenders right? It's probably fine to at least feel some resentment... But am I really that angry? Doesn't matter.. what was done, was done. There's no turning back. If I won't kill them here, they'd just continue to hunt me again and again with more forces and preparation.

"Shit!.."

No one among Rokvir's party wanted to move just after witnessing what just happened..

(He died like it was nothing.. It happened so fast, we were unable to help..)

But Rokvir recovered from the shock immediately and noticed the monster becoming transparent.

"The monster! Don't let it go away!"

But they were too late, the monster disappeared towards the trees. But as Rokvir was quick to grasp the situation, he went to find tracks that were left behind by the monster; Its blood.

"We will not stop here! We've managed to injure the monster! It escaped, which means he felt threatened! We will avenge the loss of our comrade and slay that beast!"

And with that, they went to resume looking for the monster.

Ugghhh... This still hurts so much..

Even though I am feeling the effects of my [Regeneration lvl. 1], the pain still hasn't subsided.

I really hadn't considered the fact that I'd still be hurt with a body like this. But judging from the scattered arrows earlier, It seems like they've hurt me only with magic. Magic really is frightening, this makes me want to get it more.

But I really need a plan. That huge guy earlier was the one giving out the commands... I should probably take him out first, but he should be surrounded by most of his people. But if they're scattered, it should be easier to kill them one by one; reducing the risks of me being cornered.

I shall just try to ambush the scouts first and then kill them one by one...

After I'm completely healed, let's do this...

"Dude, I don't wanna die"

"Same for me too ya'know"

"I just got married this year! I'm yet to see my child getting born!"

"If we back down now, who knows your wife might be the next victim"

"...."

"He-hey, I was just kiddi--"

The moment the man turned around towards his companion, the only thing he can see is a corpse that is hanging from a tail. Blood filled the mouth of the corpse with the tail piercing through the corpse's neck.

"No...no....nooo..Noooooo!!!!"

"--!! That scream!"

Rokvir and his four companions quickly looked at the direction of the scream. Earlier, he sent out some people to search for some tracks of the monster.

Most likely, one of the groups encountered the monster. Rokvir then, together with his companions, ran towards the direction of the scream. But, just after a few moments, more screams filled the vicinity.

"AHHHHGGGHHH!!!"

"UUUGHH!"

"UWAAAAAHHGH!!!!"

The longer Rokvir ran towards the screams, the more screams gradually fill the place.

Finally, when Rokvir arrived at the place, a gruesome sight awaited them.

Numerous bodies; shredded, crushed, dismembered, eviscerated.. Piles and lumps of flesh scattered all around the place. And at the center of it all...

"Ru-.... run..."

One of his men, held by the clutches of the monster. You can clearly see he's done for. The monster's claw dug through his windpipe and he's endlessly gushing out blood; a few seconds and that body will be extinguished of life.

This scene became etched inside the mind of Rokivr. Now, his feelings is not only full of resolve, but also with pure wrath. The picture of his fallen comrades lit something inside him. Consumed by hatred, he readied himself to kill the monster.

"GREATER STRENGTH! GREATER DEFENSE! GREATER ACCELERATION!"

Rokvir, after he finished chanting his skill, suddenly leapt towards the monster, but the monster's target wasn't him.

Just before his blade hit, the monster became transparent again as it tried to dodge.

Rokvir was just a little bit faster as his blade cut a little bit of flesh from the monster. He accurately aimed for the exposed area between the plates of the monster. Blue liquid oozed out from the monster as it let out another loud shriek. The monster isn't also transparent anymore, but it did not stop it from running towards his companions.

"Shit!!"

The moment he turned around, it was too late. The last of his companions are lying down, lifeless.

"You.. You cursed beast!"

The monster turned back and glared at him.

Though, unlike before, he did not waver at the sight of such a terrifying monster.

"You piece of shit. I'll kill you. I don't know if you understand what I'm saying right now but, I won't let you roam free... I will avenge those you've killed... I will keep Erica and the village safe!"

The monster that looked like it understood everything he has been saying, let out some unidentifiable sounds that seemed like it was trying to say something. But Rokvir does not understand a single thing, he only perceived these as hideous growls from a monster.

"Yeah, enough with all these blabbering... Come! I'll kill you! you monster!!"

And so he dashed towards the monster with full speed...